P4 New Street
- Thread starter Jim S-W
- Start date
Any plans to lazerglaze it?
iploffy
OC Blue Brigade
Jim, I ran into an ex New Street fitter at Euston today and asked him the question, the reply was a pipe which is permanently inserted via a hole in the top of the tank connected to a small hand pump which is in turn connected to a 'D' shaped bayonet connection which is pushed in then turned to gain positive lock (as he explained it to me the system is under pressure and requires to remain so) whilst refilling. It was interesting to find out that even though the tanks have HST on the side of them they were also used for all of the second generation DMU's.
Jim S-W
Western Thunderer
Hi All
I thought a quick explanation of how I weather stuff might be of interest (other methods are available). The subject is a Hornby 50 which has had the usual treatment I apply to my class 50 fleet. That being replace the wheels with P4 ones that are the right diameter. Lower it on its bogies, replace the toy like opening bodyside louvres and replace the windscreens and roof fans with those from Extreme etches.
Once all thats done on to the weathering, I use 3 basic techniques and the first is washes. Using a picture of the real loco as a guide I paint the side in odourless turps substitute and work in tiny amounts of paint (enamels) in a method similar to the wet in wet method used for water colours. Its important to keep your streaks vertical unless your prototype pictures show different.
This loco was to be quite scruffy (for me anyway) and I was happy with how the washes came out so I left them there. Usually at this stage I wait 24 hours and then with clean thinners on a cotton bud, do my best to clean the loco (again keeping everything vertical). All I am really doing is replicating what happens in real life, Locos get dirty and are cleaned. The cotton bud cant get everywhere and you end up with build ups of dirt you cant get too, again much like the real thing.
When happy with all that and the loco is dry (best to leave it for a week or so) Its on to the next stage. Airbrushing. Again refer to a photo and check that your particular class doesn't have any weird effects but I usually treat this stage as pretty generic. Using mostly humbrol 110 first to airbrush on brake dust. Followed by a mix of metalcote gunmetal and 110 (with a touch of matt black) to pick out axle boxes and equipment in a sort of dirty grease colour. Finally a mix of Gunmetal and matt black is sprayed over the roof. Always try to think of the direction the dirt hits the real loco and try to copy it. Spraying the brake dust from about 45 degrees below the model. That brings me to the stage in the picture above.
This is OK on the underframe but its also a bit generic. Each class of loco has a characteristic way that the underframe gets dirty and to turn our model from a generic dirty to a model of the real loco we need a bit more work.
This brings me to the third stage, drybrushing. This stage is very subtle and you will think a lot of it vanishes. Again referring to pictures start with the gunmetal and dry brush the top edges of things like steps and springs. this will give you a really subtle glint to the underframe and help put back in a bit of depth that the airbrushing stage flattened out. Also look for places where oil builds up which on a 50 is the base of the axle boxes, parts of the compressor, the main tanks and the battery boxes. Dry brush these on with the gunmetal. Some build up is quite heavy and you can go over these with matt black to enhance them. By now the loco looks like this...
...which is nearly there. The last stage is to add a bit more sheen for which i use the old formula Klear floor polish. You only need a few spots per loco where the oil is still wet, Don't overdo it. What you want is for all this work to disappear! You are looking for subtle glints and sparkles from certain angles that bring the model to life.
You can see a few highlights in this picture, on the compressor and the top edges of the tank. Thats really all you need but it will probably have taken you longer to read this than to do the dry brushing stage anyway so its not like hours of work that will go unnoticed by most people.
Finally a picture that goes some way to explaining the need for reference to prototype pictures.
My rendition of a gresley bogie under my class 304. I had no idea that the bogies get these dark streaks on the sides but they do and they are visible in pretty much all of the class 304 pictures I have. Its a characteristic I could have completely missed. Hope people find this post useful.
Cheers
Jim
I thought a quick explanation of how I weather stuff might be of interest (other methods are available). The subject is a Hornby 50 which has had the usual treatment I apply to my class 50 fleet. That being replace the wheels with P4 ones that are the right diameter. Lower it on its bogies, replace the toy like opening bodyside louvres and replace the windscreens and roof fans with those from Extreme etches.
Once all thats done on to the weathering, I use 3 basic techniques and the first is washes. Using a picture of the real loco as a guide I paint the side in odourless turps substitute and work in tiny amounts of paint (enamels) in a method similar to the wet in wet method used for water colours. Its important to keep your streaks vertical unless your prototype pictures show different.
This loco was to be quite scruffy (for me anyway) and I was happy with how the washes came out so I left them there. Usually at this stage I wait 24 hours and then with clean thinners on a cotton bud, do my best to clean the loco (again keeping everything vertical). All I am really doing is replicating what happens in real life, Locos get dirty and are cleaned. The cotton bud cant get everywhere and you end up with build ups of dirt you cant get too, again much like the real thing.
When happy with all that and the loco is dry (best to leave it for a week or so) Its on to the next stage. Airbrushing. Again refer to a photo and check that your particular class doesn't have any weird effects but I usually treat this stage as pretty generic. Using mostly humbrol 110 first to airbrush on brake dust. Followed by a mix of metalcote gunmetal and 110 (with a touch of matt black) to pick out axle boxes and equipment in a sort of dirty grease colour. Finally a mix of Gunmetal and matt black is sprayed over the roof. Always try to think of the direction the dirt hits the real loco and try to copy it. Spraying the brake dust from about 45 degrees below the model. That brings me to the stage in the picture above.
This is OK on the underframe but its also a bit generic. Each class of loco has a characteristic way that the underframe gets dirty and to turn our model from a generic dirty to a model of the real loco we need a bit more work.
This brings me to the third stage, drybrushing. This stage is very subtle and you will think a lot of it vanishes. Again referring to pictures start with the gunmetal and dry brush the top edges of things like steps and springs. this will give you a really subtle glint to the underframe and help put back in a bit of depth that the airbrushing stage flattened out. Also look for places where oil builds up which on a 50 is the base of the axle boxes, parts of the compressor, the main tanks and the battery boxes. Dry brush these on with the gunmetal. Some build up is quite heavy and you can go over these with matt black to enhance them. By now the loco looks like this...
...which is nearly there. The last stage is to add a bit more sheen for which i use the old formula Klear floor polish. You only need a few spots per loco where the oil is still wet, Don't overdo it. What you want is for all this work to disappear! You are looking for subtle glints and sparkles from certain angles that bring the model to life.
You can see a few highlights in this picture, on the compressor and the top edges of the tank. Thats really all you need but it will probably have taken you longer to read this than to do the dry brushing stage anyway so its not like hours of work that will go unnoticed by most people.
Finally a picture that goes some way to explaining the need for reference to prototype pictures.
My rendition of a gresley bogie under my class 304. I had no idea that the bogies get these dark streaks on the sides but they do and they are visible in pretty much all of the class 304 pictures I have. Its a characteristic I could have completely missed. Hope people find this post useful.
Cheers
Jim
Pennine MC
Western Thunderer
FWIW I generally use white spirit from Wilko's for washes; as ever though, different things work for different folks.
Jim S-W
Western Thunderer
Hi All
As well as the stairs I have also finished off the retaining wall that goes over the London end tunnel mouth. This has opened up some angles for pictures that I didnt have before.
The newest trains on the layout will be my class 155's. These are modified Dapol models.
A peak waits for its next move while a 150 arrives. The 150 is the Limited edition one from Trians4u fitted with etched window frames.
A class 20 departs for Tysley with a failed class 120. The 120 is a Craftsmann conversion of a Lima 117 and the 20 is lima but fitted with Heljan Baby deltic sideframes (as recommended by my friend Shane)
45012 arrives from the south.
Cheers
Jim
As well as the stairs I have also finished off the retaining wall that goes over the London end tunnel mouth. This has opened up some angles for pictures that I didnt have before.
The newest trains on the layout will be my class 155's. These are modified Dapol models.
A peak waits for its next move while a 150 arrives. The 150 is the Limited edition one from Trians4u fitted with etched window frames.
A class 20 departs for Tysley with a failed class 120. The 120 is a Craftsmann conversion of a Lima 117 and the 20 is lima but fitted with Heljan Baby deltic sideframes (as recommended by my friend Shane)
45012 arrives from the south.
Cheers
Jim
Jordan
Mid-Western Thunderer
Just a real shame that the nameplate is bentI like the third shot, nice contrast between matt dirt and the cleaner more 'polished' body work
... otherwise a good 'how to' weathering guide!
westernfan
Western Thunderer
Hi Jim this is an amazing project with its attention to detail , your latest construction of multiple stair cases is yet another job well done . i recently constructed two flights of steps on my model they were a bit of a chore let alone eight!
re conqueror's name plate it could be that there was an attempted theft of the name plates before she was withdrawn from service
re conqueror's name plate it could be that there was an attempted theft of the name plates before she was withdrawn from service
tomstaf
Western Thunderer
Hi All
Sometimes modelling a large station can be a bit tedious. One such time is when you have to scratchbuild 8 sets of stairs! Having done the first one as a prototype I have spent today making the other 7 sets.
Cheers
Jim
Jim,
Will the steps be visible, or purely for your own satisfaction?
Btw, I know you're not into lights, but how about smell? New Street has a particular smell - sort of dusty with electricity and cleaner blended in. Perhaps you could think of some way of producing (heat, fan etc) and emitting smell from the layout when you exhibit it?
Tom
Jim S-W
Western Thunderer
Hi Tom
The stairs were not as closed in in the 80s as they are now, so you could see the bottom of them and the esculators.
Its not that I am not into lights, I am not into them being used without observation, that's all. I see too many layouts lit up like a Christmas tree but supposedly set in the day. The lights under new streets roof were always on so they will be on the model too.
Cheers
Jim
The stairs were not as closed in in the 80s as they are now, so you could see the bottom of them and the esculators.
Its not that I am not into lights, I am not into them being used without observation, that's all. I see too many layouts lit up like a Christmas tree but supposedly set in the day. The lights under new streets roof were always on so they will be on the model too.
Cheers
Jim
Jim S-W
Western Thunderer
Hi All
Something that has been in the 'nearly finished' pile for a few years is my model of 86252, The Liverpool Daily Post.
Basically the Hornby model powered by a Bachmann warship and detailed with my own etches.
Note the rust build up around the base of the flexicoil springs, something quite common on class 86's
Cheers
Jim
Something that has been in the 'nearly finished' pile for a few years is my model of 86252, The Liverpool Daily Post.
Basically the Hornby model powered by a Bachmann warship and detailed with my own etches.
Note the rust build up around the base of the flexicoil springs, something quite common on class 86's
Cheers
Jim
